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Insomnia And Depression

Anew study reveals that people with insomnia are more likely to develop depression later in life. The traditional thinking is that insomnia is a symptom of depression, but the authors argue that insomnia may come before depression.

This is old news, if you look at it from the sleep-breathing paradigm described in my forthcoming book, Sleep, Interrupted. I address both insomnia and depression as manifestations of interrupted breathing while sleeping that deprives you of deep, restful, restorative sleep. This process begin in childhood, affected by multiple factors, including anatomic issues, diet, infections or stressful situations. The sleep-breathing paradigm doesn’t contradict what’s out there in insomnia knowledge and research, but suggests a different perspective on ideas that we take for granted. For the most part, it even agrees with and supports the evidence in insomnia research. So it’s not important which comes first (insomnia or depression), but that both can coexist together. If so, what can cause both to occur?

This is another example of the peculiarities of medical research when you try to isolate and correlate one variable against another. Yes, you’ll get some interesting results, but more often than not, you’ll end up asking more questions as a result, or end up with multiple conflicting results. Once you look at humans as a complex interaction of innumerable processes, by looking at the “big picture,” things just make more sense.

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About Dr. Park

Dr. Steven Y. Park is an author and surgeon who helps people who are always sick or tired to once again reclaim their health and energy. For the past 13 years in private practice and 4 years in academia, he has helped thousands of men and women breathe better, sleep better, and live more fulfilling lives.

The material on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not and should not be relied upon or construed as medical, surgical, psychological, or nutritional advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your medical regimen, exercise or diet program. Some links may go to products on Amazon.com, for which Jodev Press is an associate member.